Big Ten Basketball Tournament 2025: Schedule, Bracket & How to Watch Live

But before the NCAA Big Ten Basketball Tournament field is established, elite teams from each conference will battle for their individual postseason championships—and a coveted automatic bid.

In the Big Ten, Michigan State secured the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2019, finishing up a strong season with a program-record 17 conference wins. The last time the Spartans were in first place, they won the conference championship.

But winning the title this year is not an easy task. As the No. 4 seed and a strong challenger, UCLA has already made an impression in its debut Big Ten season. In the meanwhile, Maryland is a team to watch after rising from last year’s No. 12 seed to No. 2.

When does the excitement start, then? Here is all the information you require on the Big Ten Tournament in 2025.

How many teams are in the 2025 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament?

The conference title will be contested by 15 teams. The seeds for the 2025 Big Ten tournament are as follows:

Michigan State
Maryand
Michigan
UCLA
Wisconsin
Purdue
Illinois
Oregon
Indiana
Ohio State
Rutgers
Minnesota
Northwestern
USC
Iowa

When and Where is the 2025 Big Ten Tournament?

Start Date: The Big Ten Tournament is set to begin on Wednesday, March 12, featuring three exciting first-round games. The action will carry on into Thursday for the second round, followed by the quarterfinals on Friday and the semifinals on Saturday. The championship game is scheduled for Selection Sunday, March 16, right before the NCAA Tournament bracket is unveiled.

Location: This year’s tournament will take place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the home of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.

2025 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule

The tournament will kick off with Minnesota going head-to-head against Northwestern in the first of three opening round matchups at 3:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12.

Wednesday, March 12 — First Round

Game 1: No. 12 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Northwestern | 3:30 p.m. ET
Game 2: No. 10 Ohio State vs. No. 15 Iowa | 25 minutes after Game 1 ends
Game 3: No. 11 Rutgers vs. No. 14 USC | 25 minutes after Game 2 ends

Thursday, March 13 — Second Round

Game 4: No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oregon | 12 p.m. ET
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. No. 5 Wisconsin | 25 minutes after Game 4 ends
Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. No. 7 Illinois | 6:30 p.m. ET
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. No. 6 Purdue | 25 minutes after Game 6 ends

Friday, March 14 — Quarterfinals

Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. No. 1 Michigan State | 12 p.m. ET
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. No. 4 UCLA | 25 minutes after Game 8 ends
Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. No. 2 Maryland | 6:30 p.m. ET
Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. No. 3 Michigan | 25 minutes after Game 10 ends

Saturday, March 15 — Semifinals

Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner | 1 p.m. ET
Game 13: Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner | 25 minutes after Game 12 ends

Sunday, March 16 — Championship

Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner | 3:30 p.m. ET

How to watch the 2025 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament on TV, online

Here’s a daily guide to where you can tune in:

Wednesday, March 12: Streaming on Peacock
Thursday, March 13: Available on Big Ten Network
Friday, March 14: Watch on Big Ten Network
Saturday, March 15: Tune in to CBS
Sunday, March 16: Catch it on CBS

Big Ten Tournament Champions Through the Years

Illinois heads into this year’s tournament as the reigning Big Ten champion, having triumphed over No. 5 Wisconsin with a score of 93-87 in last season’s championship match. This victory marked the Fighting Illini’s second conference title in just four years. However, this year’s team is quite different, having lost four crucial starters from last season’s Elite Eight journey—their first since 2005. Despite these changes, Illinois has made a strong impression with notable victories against Michigan, UCLA, and Purdue, showcasing their status as a formidable contender.

Prior to Illinois’ victory, Purdue (2023) and Iowa (2022) claimed the tournament title.

In terms of historical achievements, Michigan State stands at the top of the Big Ten with six tournament championships. Ohio State and Illinois each have four titles, while both Wisconsin and Iowa have secured three championships.